Mounting apparatus for expansion cards, casing, and electronic device using the same

ABSTRACT

A mounting apparatus for securely mounting one end of an expansion card to a chassis and a casing includes a locking bracket, a rotating member, and a fixing member which is connected to the locking bracket. The locking bracket includes a locking portion and a fixing portion. The locking bracket is rotatably connected to the chassis by the rotating member, and the locking portion is rotatable between a locking position and an unlocking position, where the fixing member releases the fixing portion and the locking portion separates from the end of the expansion card.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to mounting apparatuses.

BACKGROUND

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) slots are provided on themotherboard of a computer or a server for installing expansion cards,which can be plugged into PCI slots. To prevent the loosening of theexpansion card during moving or over lifetime use, the expansion cardusually has a stopping plate on one side. The stopping plate can befixed on the computer casing by screws, which needs tools to operate,and screws can be lost during the operation.

Thus, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present disclosure will now be described, by wayof example only, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of a mountingapparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates another isometric view of the mounting apparatus ofFIG. 1, showing the locking bracket in an unlocking position.

FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of the locking bracket of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the locking bracket of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates a view of part of an electronic device.

FIG. 6 illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of a casing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein.However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat the exemplary embodiments described herein can be practiced withoutthese specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, andcomponents have not been described in detail so as not to obscure therelated relevant feature being described. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may beexaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The descriptionis not to be considered as limiting the scope of the exemplaryembodiments described herein.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now bepresented.

The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”;it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in aso-described combination, group, series, and the like.

FIG. 5 illustrates an electronic device 500.

The electronic device 500 may include an expansion card 70 and a casing200. The expansion card 70 is mounted to the casing 200.

Referring also to FIGS. 1-4 and 6, the casing 200 includes a chassis 60and a mounting apparatus 100.

The mounting apparatus 100 is used to mount the expansion card 70 to thechassis 60. The mounting apparatus 100 can include a locking bracket 30,a rotating member 40 and a fixing member 50. The fixing member 50 isconnected to the locking bracket 30.

The locking bracket 30 includes a locking portion 31 and a fixingportion 32. The locking portion 31 is used to lock the end of theexpansion card 70.

The locking bracket 30 is rotatably connected to the chassis 60 by therotating member 40, and the locking portion 31 is rotatable between alocking position (as shown in FIG. 4) and an unlocking position (asshown in FIG. 2).

When the locking portion 31 is rotated to the locking position, thelocking portion 31 latches the end of expansion card 70 and the fixingportion 32 is fixed to the chassis 60 by the fixing member 50. When thelocking portion 31 is rotated to the unlocking position, the fixingmember 50 releases the fixing portion 32 and the locking portion 31separates from the end of expansion card 70.

The locking portion 31 can include a locking plate 311 and two firstbase plates 312. The two first base plates 312 are perpendicularlyconnected to a side of the locking plate 311, and the two first baseplates 312 are adjacent to each other.

Each of the two first base plates 312 defines a first through hole 3121corresponding to the rotating member 40. The locking bracket 30 isrotatably connected to the chassis 60 by the rotating member 40 and thefirst through holes 3121.

The fixing portion 32 includes a fixing plate 321, the fixing portion 32is fixed to the chassis 60 by the fixing member 50 and the fixing plate321.

The mounting apparatus 100 can further include an extending portion 22.The extending portion 22 is defined on the chassis 60 and corresponds tothe locking portion 31. The extending portion 22 includes two secondbase plates 221 parallel and adjacent to each other.

The locking bracket 30 is rotatably connected to the two second baseplates 221 by the rotating member 40 and the first through holes 3121.

Each of the two second base plates 221 defines a second through hole2211 corresponding to the rotating member 40.

Each of the two second base plates 221 is aligned with one of the twofirst base plates 312. The rotating member 40 passes through the firstthrough holes 312 and the second through holes 221 and the lockingbracket 30 is rotatably connected to the chassis 60 by the two firstbase plates 312, the two second base plates 221, and the rotating member40.

The mounting apparatus can further include a screw (not shown) movablymounted to an end of the fixing portion 32, a screw hole being definedon the chassis 60. The fixing plate 321 defines a third through hole3122 corresponding to the screw hole.

The screw passes through the third through hole 3122 and connects to thescrew hole to fix the fixing portion 32 to the chassis 60.

The chassis 60 includes a back plate 20 to which the second base plate221 is perpendicularly connected.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even thoughnumerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology havebeen set forth in the foregoing description, together with details ofthe structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, includingmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within theprinciples of the present disclosure, up to and including the fullextent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in theclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mounting apparatus for mounting an end of anexpansion card to a chassis, comprising: a locking bracket comprising: alocking portion configured to lock the end of the expansion card; and afixing portion comprising a fixing plate; a rotating member; a fixingmember connected to the locking bracket; and a screw movably mounted toan end of the fixing portion; wherein the locking bracket is rotatablyconnected to the chassis by the rotating member, and the locking portionis rotatable between a locking position, where the locking portionlatches the end of expansion card and the fixing portion is fixed to thechassis by the fixing member, and an unlocking position, where thefixing member releases the fixing portion and the locking portionseparates from the end of expansion card; wherein the fixing portion isfixed to the chassis by the fixing member and the fixing plate; andwherein a screw hole defined on the chassis; the fixing plate defines athird through hole corresponding to the screw hole; the screw passesthrough the third through hole and connects to the screw hole to fix thefixing portion to the chassis.
 2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1,wherein the locking portion comprises: a locking plate; and two firstbase plates perpendicularly connected to a side of the locking plate,wherein the two first base plates are adjacent to each other; whereineach of the two first base plates define a first through holecorresponding to the rotating member, the locking bracket is rotatablyconnected to the chassis by the rotating member and the first throughholes.
 3. The mounting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the mountingapparatus further comprises an extending portion defined on the chassisand corresponding to the locking portion, the extending portioncomprises two second base plates that are parallel and adjacent to eachother; wherein the locking bracket is rotatably connected to the twosecond base plates by the rotating member and the first through holes.4. The mounting apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the two secondbase plates define a second through hole corresponding to the rotatingmember; each of the two second base plates is aligned to one of the twofirst base plates, the rotating member passes through the first throughholes and the second through holes and the locking bracket is rotatablyconnected to the chassis through the two first base plates, the twosecond base plates and the rotating member.
 5. The mounting apparatus ofclaim 3, wherein the chassis comprises a back plate, the second baseplate is perpendicularly connected to the back plate.
 6. A casingcomprising: a chassis; and a mounting apparatus for mounting an end ofan expansion card to the chassis, comprising: locking bracketcomprising: a locking portion configured to lock the end of theexpansion card; and a fixing portion comprising a fixing plate; anrotating member; a fixing member connected to the locking bracket; and ascrew movably mounted to an end of the fixing portion; wherein thelocking bracket is rotatably connected to the chassis by the rotatingmember, and the locking portion is rotatable between a locking position,where the locking portion latches the end of expansion card and thefixing portion is fixed to the chassis by the fixing member, and anunlocking position, where the fixing member releases the fixing portionand the locking portion separates with the end of expansion card;wherein the fixing portion is fixed to the chassis by the fixing memberand the fixing plate; and wherein a screw hole defined on the chassis;the fixing plate defines a third through hole corresponding to the screwhole; the screw passes through the third through hole and connects tothe screw hole to fix the fixing portion to the chassis.
 7. The casingof claim 6, wherein the locking portion comprises: a locking plate; andtwo first base plates perpendicularly connected to a side of the lockingplate, wherein the two first base plates are adjacent to each other;wherein each of the two first base plates defines a first through holecorresponding to the rotating member, the locking bracket is rotatablyconnected to the chassis by the rotating member and the first throughholes.
 8. The casing of claim 7, wherein the mounting apparatus furthercomprises an extending portion defined on the chassis and correspondingto the locking portion, the extending portion comprises two second baseplates parallel and adjacent to each other; wherein the locking bracketis rotatably connected to the two second base plates by the rotatingmember and the first through holes.
 9. The casing of claim 8, whereineach of the two second base plates define a second through holecorresponding to the rotating member; each of the two second base platesis aligned to one of the two first base plates, the rotating memberpasses through the first through holes and the second through holes andthe locking bracket is rotatably connected to the chassis through thetwo first base plates, the two second base plates and the rotatingmember.
 10. The mounting apparatus of claim 8, wherein the chassiscomprises a back plate, the second base plate is perpendicularlyconnected to the back plate.
 11. An electronic device comprising: anexpansion card; and a casing comprising: a chassis; and a mountingapparatus for mounting an end of the expansion card to the chassis,comprising: locking bracket comprising: a locking portion configured tolock the end of the expansion card; and a fixing portion comprising afixing plate; a rotating member; a fixing member connected to thelocking bracket; and a screw movably mounted to an end of the fixingportion; wherein the locking bracket is rotatably connected to thechassis by the rotating member, and the locking portion is rotatablebetween a locking position, where the locking portion latches the end ofexpansion card and the fixing portion is fixed to the chassis by thefixing member, and an unlocking position, where the fixing memberreleases the fixing portion and the locking portion separates with theend of expansion card; wherein the fixing portion is fixed to thechassis by the fixing member and the fixing plate; and wherein a screwhole defined on the chassis; the fixing plate defines a third throughhole corresponding to the screw hole; the screw passes through the thirdthrough hole and connects to the screw hole to fix the fixing portion tothe chassis.
 12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the lockingportion comprises: a locking plate; and two first base platesperpendicularly connected to a side of the locking plate, wherein thetwo first base plates are adjacent to each other; wherein each of thetwo first base plates defines a first through hole corresponding to therotating member, the locking bracket is rotatably connected to thechassis by the rotating member and the first through holes.
 13. Theelectronic device of claim 12, wherein the mounting apparatus furthercomprises an extending portion defined on the chassis and correspondingto the locking portion, the extending portion comprises two second baseplates parallel and adjacent to each other; wherein the locking bracketis rotatably connected to the two second base plates by the rotatingmember and the first through holes.
 14. The electronic device of claim13, wherein each of the two second base plates defines a second throughhole corresponding to the rotating member; each of the two second baseplates is aligned to one of the two first base plates, the rotatingmember passes through the first through holes and the second throughholes and the locking bracket is rotatably connected to the chassis bythe two first base plates, the two second base plates and the rotatingmember.